Pneumatic traverse device



Dec. 10, 1963 P. D.KEMERsoN PNEUMATIC TRAVERSE DEVICE Filed June 12,19612.A

Xml/Lg m. TWE- ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,]L3,737 PNEUMATHC'EFAVERSE DEVEQE Paul D. Emerson, Pensacola, Fla., assigner to MonsantoChemical Company, St. Louis, llt/lo., a corporation of Delaware 'Filed.lune l2, i962, Ser. No. 292,904 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-43) This inventionrelates to pneumatic traverse devices of the Itype used in the textileindustry to displace yarn reciprocally across the face of a bobbin inyarn winding processes. More particularly, the invention relates to e.high speed pneumatic traverse device employing resilient means to reduceimpact stresses and to effect uniform winding of yarn on a bobbin.

Traverse devices used in the textile industry, particularly in such asnylon filament yarn winding operations, to displace yarn reversibly on abobbin are constantly being improved to achieve higher operationalSpeeds. There is a need in the textile industry for high speed traversedevices to operate improved high speed textile processes as, forexample, present continuous yarn spindraw processes.

One kind of traverse mechanism used in the textile industry is of thepneumatic type. The conventional pneumatic type, in general, utilizescompressed air to shuttle a guide-carrying piston back and forth in atube. Reversal of the piston at the end of each stroke is negotiated byoperatively and iluidly connecting the piston to the force of compressedair by valve means. These conventional pneumatic traverse devices havedisadvantages.

One disadvantage is that they operate in the range of i400 to 1600cycles per minute, which is too low a range for present textileprocesses. Current processes require traverse devices which are adaptedto operate in the range of 3000 to 4G00 cycles or 60G() to 8G00 strokesper minute.

Another disadvantage is that the valve and piston components comprisingthese devices are made of non-resilient or rigid materials. Whenlcontact is made between these components, they are sub-ject tovibration and a so-called undesirable bounce-back effect. To dampenbounceback tendencies, it is necessary to incorporate special dampeningor cushioning means to absorb the impact stresses generated.

Another 4disadvantage of conventional pneumatic traverse devices is thatmore than one component must be actuated by a piston in order that flowof compressed lair be controlled. This type of arrangement leads to timedelays at the end of each stroke of the reciprocal piston.

`Other shortcomings exist in the manner of uncovering valve seats. Inthe conventional valve constructions,

ValVe Seals ae UUCOVefed by PYOgfeSSVelY increased de M rel l. having a'valve assemblage mounted :at each end grees so that the full force ofthe compressed air is not immediately applied to the piston. Theconsequent delay yields nonuniformly wound yarn packages characterizedby the packages having bulges at the ends.

llj? Patented Dec. l0, 1963 A still further object is to provide a highspeed pneumatic traverse device which is simple in operation andconstruction and inexpensive to manufacture.

In general, the high speed pneumatic traverse device embodying theinvention comprises a piston slidably reciprocable in an elongate borein a casing. The bore is open to the exterior of the casing through alongitudinal slit formed therein. A guide, adapted to carry a yarnexteriorly of the casing and to be operable in the longitudinal slit, issecured to said piston and projects through the slit.

The piston and the guide operatively attached thereto are reversiblyactuated Iby compressed air for traversing yarn back and forth acrossthe face of a rotating bobbin. The compressed air flows -against thepiston and propels it reversibly through said bore when the pistonalternately strikes expansible diaphragms clamped in the casing at eachend of the bore. The impact of fthe piston with each diaphragm unseatsit from its normal seated position on a valve seat formed in the casing.The alternate unseating of the expansible diaphragms from theircorresponding valve seats permits compressed air from fluid pressuredelivery chambers, defined in the casing at one side of said expansiblediaphragms and normally supplied with compressed air to flow into theelongate bore past the valve seats and thus into Contact with thepiston. The fluid pressure delivery chambers are constantly incommunication with corresponding iluid pressure supply chambers viaperforations formed therein while the fluid pressure supply chambers arenormally charged with compressed iair from a suitable source of supplythereof. The compressed air exhausts through the longitudinal slit inthe casing.

The drawing and the detailed :description which follows provide a morecomprehensive understanding of the structure and operation of theinvention.

ln the accompanying drawing:

FGURE l is a cross-sectional view showing the novel pneumatic traversedevice connected to a source of compressed lair;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation View showing the novel high speed pneumatictraverse device, on a smaller scale and with portions cut away, inassociation with a yarn take-up evice; and i HGURE 3 is a plan viewshowing a preferred construction of the resilient means incorporated linthe novel high lt is an object of this invention to provide a high speedpneumatic traverse device utilizing perforated resilient means to eectreciprocal displacement of a piston by compressed air and to minimizeimpact stresses encountered during operation.

Another object is to provide a high speed pneumatic traverse devicewhich does not require special dampening means `to reduce so-calledbounce-back effect.

Another object is to provide a high speed pneumatic traverse deviceadapted to traverse yarn at a speed of approximately 6000 strokes perminute.

A further object is to provide a high speed pneumatic traverse deviceadapted to effect an instantaneous high volume flow of compressed airpast a valve seat to reciprocally move a free traveling piston.

speed pneumatic traverse device.

Referring to the drawing, like components in each of the figures aredesignated by like reference numerals for convenience reasons. The novelpneumatic traverse device, as shown in FlGS. l and 2, comprises a tubeor barthereof. Each valve assemblage includes a hollow casing 2. formedof sectioned members providing a cavity therein.

Tube 1 has an elongate bore 3 therethrough `and a longitudinal exhaustslit 4 extending through the wall thereof. Slit 4 opens bore 3 toatmosphere. A piston 5, having a guide 6 iixedly secured thereto, isdisposed within bore 3 and is slidably reciprocal therein. Guide `6projects outwardly of tube 1 through longitudinal slit 4 and has a yarncarrying slot 7 formed therein.

Each hollow casing 2 has `a bore S. Bore 8 is aligned with and open atone end thereof :to bore 3 and open at `its opposite end to the cavityin its corresponding casing 2. The sectioned members of each casing 2are clamped together by bolts 9. An annular valve seat 10, arrangedcoaxially with bore 8, is formed in each hollow casing 2 at saidopposite end of each bore 8.

A circular resilient diaphragm 1l, preferably a nylon reinforcedneoprene rubber diaphragm, is clamped at its outer periphery betweenrespective sections of each hollow a casing 2 so as to extendtransversely therethrough. Each diaphragm lll has a plurality of spacedpertorations l2 formed therein and has a duid pressure supply chamber 13`deiined at one side thereof. At the opposite side of each diaphragm il.there is an annular uid pressure delivery chamber 14 defined within therespective hollow casing 2. Each annular fluid pressure delivery chamber14 surrounds an annular valve seat l0.

The liuid pressure supply chambers 13 are each charged with iluid underpressure through a threaded port l5 extending through the wall of arespective hollow casing 2. Each port l5 is adapted to be connected rtoa source of fluid under pressure via a line i6 normally charged withcompressed air. A valve i7, -a pressure regulator 18, and a pressuregauge 19 are interposed in line le to control the flow of compressed airto the iiuid pressure supply chambers i3 at a predetermined value.

Normally, each diaphragm il is positioned in its corresponding sectionedcasing 2 so as to be biased into seated engagement against itsrespective valve seat it? by the force of compressed air in the supplychamber i3 acting thereagainst at one side thereof, while at theopposite side thereof the area of each diaphragm lll that covers itscorresponding valve seat iti is open to the ambient atmosphere via thelongitudinal exhaust slit 4. Each diaphragm lll is coaxially arrangedwith its corresponding valve seat it?.

The iiuid pressure supply chambers i3 are always open to theircorresponding delivery chambers ld through the per'forations l2 in thediaphragms ll. The perforations lf2 are preferably arranged in eachrespective diaphragm il so that they surround a respective valve seatlt).

Piston 5 is normally lubricated by a lubricating medium supplied to thebore 3 through an opening 2@ provided in the wall of tube l. Opening 26is connected to a line 2l supplied with a lubricant.

Prior to operation, a yarn 22 from a source of supply is positioned inslot '7 in the yarn guide 6 and is laced therefrom to a bobbin 23 of ayarn take-up device 24. The fluid pressure supply chambers i3 aresupplied with compressed air from line le for biasing the respectiveresilient diaphragms or valves 1l into seated position against theirrespective valve seats 1t).

In operation, piston 5 of the traverse device is manually moved in thedirection of one of the diaphragms 11 (for purposes of illustrationassume it is moved toward the diaphragm il at the left end of tube l asshown in FIG. l of the drawing) with suiiicient force to strike andunseat the diaphragm lll from its seated position on its correspondingvalve seat liti. The impact of piston 5 against the diaphragm lldisplaces it so as to fully uncover the valve seat lt?. A surge ofcompressed air from the annular iiuid pressure delivery chamber 14 iiowspast the valve seat l@ into bore S and into contact with piston 5.Piston 5 is then propelled by the compressed air through bore 3 in thedirection of the diaphragm l1 at the right end of tube l. The compressedair in bore 3 is rapidly exhausted through longitudinal exhaust slit d.Unseated diaphragm ll, after piston 5 moves away, is then immediatelyseated again by the pressure of the air in the fluid pressure supplychamber 13 acting thereon.

The force applied to piston 5 by the compressed air causes piston S totravel the length of bore 3 and to strike the diaphragm il at the rightend of tube l thereby unseating the latter. Once again, a blast of readycompressed air ows past the corresponding valve seat i9 and acts againstpiston S so as to cause it to travel letward in the reverse directionand to thus complete one cycle of the yarn guide 6. The air is exhaustedthrough the longitudinal exhaust slit it, as occurred after the rststroke of piston S, and the unseated diaphragm 1i. at the right end oftube l returns to its seated position against its corresponding valveseat i@ by the action of the compressed air in chamber 13. Piston 5 isthus shuttled in the manner described back and forth in tube 1. Yarn 22,being positioned in slot 7, is thus operatively carried back and forthsubstantially uniformly across the face of rotating bobbin 23 oi' thetalreeup device 24. The improved traverse device as described providestraversing speeds of approximately` 300D-6000 strokes per minute.

rl`he impact stress as well as the bounce-back elect commonlyencountered where elements formed of nonresilient material are used arereduced by the resilient diaphragme ll. lThe arrangement 0f the annularliuid pressure delivery chambers i4, each in surroundment of arespective valve seat 1d, provides a ready source of compressed airimmediately upon impact of piston 5 with diaphragms lll because thespecific valve and valve seat construction provided permits full andinstant uncovery of the valve seats 16.

In FIG. 3 a preferred type ot resilient diaphragm 1l is shown having aplurality of spaced periorations 12 arranged circumferentially on thediaphragm l1 and having a piurality ot mounting holes 25.

The novel traverse device is simple in construction and inexpensive tomanufacture. Traversing of a yarn may be accomplished at speeds ofapproximately 3000-6000 strokes per minute by actuation of a movablepiston and a pair of resilient diaphragms.

it is to 'oe understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as deiined in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A high speed pneumatic traverse device for reciprocating a yarnacross the face of a take-up device, said traverse device comprising,

(a) a casing providing a pair of spaced cavities having communicationtherebetween via a bore defined Within said casing,

(b) a valve seat formed in said casing at each end of said bore andWithin a respective cavity,

(c) a slit in said casing between said pair of spaced cavities andopening from said bore to atmosphere,

(d) a piston slidably operable within said bore,

\(e) said piston having a portion projecting through said slit and beingadapted to carry said yarn back forth exteriorly of said casing,

(f) resilient means having perforations therein secured within saidcasing and disposed within each of said cavities,

(g) each of said resilient means having a iiuid pressure supply chamberdefined at one side thereof which constantly communicates with a fluidpressure delivery chamber dened at the opposite Side thereof via saidperforations in said resilient means,

(lz) a line normally charged with compressed air from a source thereof,

(i) a pair of port in said casing,

(j) each of said ports opening into a respective uid pressure supplychamber and being adapted to be connected to said line for supplyingsaid iuid pressure supply chamber with compressed air, wherein,

(k) the force of the compressed air in each of said iiuid pressuresupply chambers normally biases said resiiient means therein into seatedposition on a corresponding valve seat and acts to reciprocate saidpiston back and forth in said bore t0 traverse the yarn when said pistonalternately unseats said resilient means and permits compressed air totlow from said fluid pressure delivery chambers into said bore past saidvalve seats.

2. A high speed pneumatic traverse device as in claim l, wherein saidresilient means comprises expansible diaphragms.

3. A high speed pneumatic traverse device as in claim 1, wherein saidvalve seats are annular and said iuid pressure delivery chambersencircle said annular valve seats and, wherein said resilient means arecoaxially arranged with said annular valve seats in said cavities.

4. A high speed pneumatic traverse device for reciprocating a yarnacross the face of a take-up device, said traverse device comprising,

(a) a casing providing a pair of spaced cavities having communicationtherebetween via a longitudinal bore defined in said casing,

(b) an elongate slit in said casing between said pair of spaced cavitiesand opening from said longitudinal bore to atmosphere,

(c) an annular valve seat formed in said casing at each end of saidlongitudinal bore and within a respective cavity,

(d) a piston slidably operable within said bore,

(e) a guide adapted to carry a yarn and secured to said piston,

(f) said guide projecting through said slit and being adapted to carrysaid yarn eXteriorly of said casing,

(g) clamping means,

(h) a circular resilient diaphragm provided with perforations and beingtransversely disposed in each of said cavities,

(i) each of said circular resilient diaphragms being clamped at theirouter peripheries between sections of said casing by said clampingmeans,

(j) each of said circular resilient diaphragms having a fluid pressuresupply chamber defined at one side thereof which constantly communicateswith a fluid pressure delivery chamber dened at the opposite sidethereof via said perforations in said circular resilient diaphragm,

(k) a line normally charged with compressed air from a source thereof,

(l) a pair of ports in said casing,

(m) each of said ports opening into a respective fluid pressure supplychamber and being adapted to be connected to said line for supplyingsaid fluid pressure supply chamber with compressed air, wherein,

(n) the force of the compressed air in each of said fluid pressuresupply chambers normally biases said circular resilient diaphragms intoseated position on a corresponding annular valve seat and acts to movesaid piston reciprocally in the longitudinal bore to traverse said yarnwhen said piston alternately unseats said circular resilient diaphragmsby impact therewith and permits compressed air to flow from said fluidpressure delivery chambers into the longitudinal bore past said annularvalve seats.

5. A high speed pneumatic traverse device for reciprocating yarn acrossthe face of a take-up device, said traverse device comprising,

(a) a tubular member provided with a slit extending through the Wallthereof,

(b) a piston slidably operable within the bore of said tubular member,

(c) said piston having a guide portion projecting through said slit andbeing adapted to carry said yarn back and forth exteriorly of saidtubular member,

(d) a sectioned casing with a cavity therein secured at each end of saidtubular member,

(e) clamping means,

(f) an annular valve seat formed in each of said hollow sectionedcasings,

(g) each of said annular valve seats being coaxially arranged with andopen to the bore of said tubular member and to the cavity within itscorresponding sectioned casing,

(h) a resilient diaphragm having perforations therein coaxially arrangedwith a corresponding annular valve seat within the cavity of each ofsaid sectioned casings,

(i) each of said resilient diaphragms being clamped at its outerperiphery between the sections of a respective sectioned casing by saidclamping means,

(j) each of said resilient means having a fluid pressure supply chamberdefined at one side thereof which constantly communicates with anannular lluid pres sure delivery chamber surrounding said annular valveseat and defined at the opposite side thereof via said perforationstherein,

(k) a line normally charged with compressed air from a source thereof,

(l) a port in each of said sectioned casings,

(m) each of said ports opening into a respective fluid pressure supplychamber and being adapted to be connected to said line for supplyingsaid fluid pressure supply chambers with compressed air, wherein,

(n) the force of the compressed air in each of said annular fluidpressure supply chambers normally biases said resilient diaphragmtherein into seated position on a corresponding annular valve seat andacts to reciprocate said piston back and forth in the bore of saidtubular member to traverse said yarn when said piston alternatelyunseats by impact therewith said resilient diaphragms and permitscompressed air to flow from said annular fluid pressure deliverychambers into said bore of said tubular member past said annular valveseats.

6. A high speed pneumatic traverse device for reciprocating yarn acrossthe face of a take-up device, said traverse device comprising,

(a) a tube having a longitudinal slit extending substantially the lengthand through the wall thereof so as to open the bore of said tube toatmosphere,

(b) a piston slidably operable within said bore of said tube,

(c) a guide with a slot therein fixedly secured to said piston andprojecting through said slit in said tube,

(d) a valve assemblage having a sectioned casing with a cavity thereinprovided at each end of said tube,

(e) a passage formed in each of said sectioned casings,

(f) each passage being arranged coaxially with the bore of said tube sothat one end thereof opens into said tube and the opposite end opensinto said cavity,

(g) an annular valve seat formed in each of said sectioned casings atsaid opposite end of said passage and being arranged coaxiallytherewith,

(h) clamping means,

(i) a perforated resilient diaphragm arranged coaxially with acorresponding annular valve seat in the cavity of each of said sectionedcasings,

(i) said resilient diaphragms in each of said sectioned casing beingclamped between the sections thereof by said clamping means,

(k) each of said perforated resilient diaphragms having a fluid pressuresupply chamber defined at one side thereof which is always open via saidperforations therein in said diaphragms to a fluid pressure deliverychamber dened at the opposite side thereof,

(l) a threaded port in each of said sectioned casings open to said fluidpressure supply chamber,

(m) a line normally charged with compressed air from a source thereofand adapted to be connected to each of said threaded ports for normallycharging said fluid pressure supply chambers with compressed air,wherein,

(n) the force of the compressed air in each of said fluid pressuresupply chambers normally biases said resilient diaphragms therein intoseated positions on corresponding annular valve seats and acts toreciprocate said piston back and forth in the bore of said tube totraverse said yarn when said piston a1ternately unseats said resilientdiaphragms by impact therewith and permits compressed air to ow fromsaid fluid pressure delivery chambers into said bore of said tube pastsaid annular valve seats.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A HIGH SPEED PNEUMATIC TRAVERSE DEVICE FOR RECIPROCATING A YARNACROSS THE FACE OF A TAKE-UP DEVICE, SAID TRAVERSE DEVICE COMPRISING,(A) A CASING PROVIDING A PAIR OF SPACED CAVITIES HAVING COMMUNICATIONTHEREBETWEEN VIA A BORE DEFINED WITHIN SAID CASING, (B) A VALVE SEATFORMED IN SAID CASING AT EACH END OF SAID BORE AND WITHIN A RESPECTIVECAVITY, (C) A SLIT IN SAID CASING BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF SPACED CAVITIESAND OPENING FROM SAID BORE TO ATMOSPHERE, (D) A PISTON SLIDABLY OPERABLEWITHIN SAID BORE, (E) SAID PISTON HAVING A PORTION PROJECTING THROUGHSAID SLIT AND BEING ADAPTED TO CARRY SAID YARN BACK FORTH EXTERIORLY OFSAID CASING, (F) RESILIENT MEANS HAVING PERFORATIONS THEREIN SECUREDWITHIN SAID CASING AND DISPOSED WITHIN EACH OF SAID CAVITIES, (G) EACHOF SAID RESILIENT MEANS HAVING A FLUID PRESSURE SUPPLY CHAMBER DEFINEDAT ONE SIDE THEREOF WHICH CONSTANTLY COMMUNICATES WITH A FLUID PRESSUREDELIVERY CHAMBER DEFINED AT THE OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF VIA SAIDPERFORATIONS IN SAID RESILIENT MEANS, (H) A LINE NORMALLY CHARGED WITHCOMPRESSED AIR FROM A SOURCE THEREOF, (I) A PAIR OF PORT IN SAID CASING,(J) EACH OF SAID PORTS OPENING INTO A RESPECTIVE FLUID PRESSURE SUPPLYCHAMBER AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO SAID LINE FOR SUPPLYINGSAID FLUID PRESSURE SUPPLY CHAMBER WITH COMPRESSED AIR, WHEREIN, (K) THEFORCE OF THE COMPRESSED AIR IN EACH OF SAID FLUID PRESSURE SUPPLYCHAMBERS NORMALLY BIASES SAID RESILIENT MEANS THEREIN INTO SEATEDPOSITION ON A CORRESPONDING VALVE SEAT AND ACTS TO RECIPROCATE SAIDPISTON BACK AND FORTH IN SAID BORE TO TRAVERSE THE YARN WHEN SAID PISTONALTERNATELY UNSEATS SAID RESILIENT MEANS AND PERMITS COMPRESSED AIR TOFLOW FROM SAID FLUID PRESSURE DELIVERY CHAMBERS INTO SAID BORE PAST SAIDVALVE SEATS.